My So Called Perfect Life
by Sincerity Angel
Summary: I'm tired of people thinking that I have a perfect life. My life is horrible. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Even so, I never wanted anyone to find out about it. But now HE knows..." I'm terrible at summaries. Better than it sounds. Honest.
1. Default Chapter

My So-called Perfect Life

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any characters from it. It all belongs to J.K Rowling.

"Where have you been?" asked a voice from the dark.

"Nowhere. I've just been walking around," said Hermione Granger as she tried to locate the origin of the voice.

"Liar. You're curfew's at nine p.m. Know what time it is? 11:30," snapped the voice as its owner stepped into the light.

"I'm sorry father. I didn't know it was so late."

"You knew damn well what time it was. You stayed out on purpose didn't you?"

"Of course not," replied Hermione, a trace of fear in her voice. He had been drinking. She could smell the alcohol. He was bad enough sober. Drunk he was…

"Don't lie to me you little bitch. The only reason you're in this house is because of my generosity and don't you forget it. Now I'll ask you again, where were you?"

Not for the first time, Hermione wondered what her mother had seen in this man that she had married him so soon after her first husband had died. He was vile, cruel, despicable… Unfortunately he was also her legal guardian and because she wasn't 18 yet, Hermione didn't have the right to go live on her own.

'Just two more days and I'll be back at Hogwarts.' Hermione repeated to herself over and over again in her head as she struggled to come up with an answer to her stepfather's question that wouldn't result in another beating. Her wounds from the last beating had not yet healed.

"I really was just walking around the park. I guess I lost track of time."

"I told you not to lie to me again. The hospital called a few minutes ago to tell you that you left your scarf behind. You were in the sick children's ward again weren't you?" her stepfather asked in a menacing tone.

Hermione knew she was caught. She had to come clean and hope that his drunken state would mean that he wouldn't hit her for too long.

"Y..Y..Yes," she stuttered.

Her stepfather walked closer to her, taking out a little bit of his belt with each step. Hermione backed off. Unfortunately she hit the wall.

"I warned you not to lie to me. YOU LITTLE BITCH!!" he yelled as he grabbed her hair and shoved her to the ground. Hermione fell on her knees and waited for the blows to come. And they did. One after the other. Again and again, each one harder than the last. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. But after the tenth blow she just couldn't hold it in. She cried out. Her stepfather just laughed and hit harder with more frequency. Hermione's shirt had ripped after the third blow and her back was now covered in lashes overflowing with blood.

After what seemed like an eternity, the blows finally stopped. Her stepfather looked down at her battered body and kicked her hard, making her fall to the floor in agonizing pain.

"That'll teach you to lie to me," he said walking away, leaving behind the beat-up body of his stepdaughter.

Hermione whimpered in silent pain as she listened to his footsteps fade away. She slowly sat up, the pain making her whimper louder. She picked herself up off the floor and made her way to the bathroom, each step a silent reminder of what she endured almost everyday that she spent in this house with HIM.

She finally made it to the bathroom after what felt like hours, but was probably only a few minutes. She opened a cabinet to take out some antiseptic and bandages. She couldn't heal herself magically because underage wizards weren't allowed to do magic outside of school. Hermione opened the bottle of antiseptic and attempted to put it on herself, the pain making her actions clumsy. She finally managed to get the bandages on and put everything back in its right place.

She turned around and found herself looking in a mirror. The sight that greeted her left her speechless. Looking back at her was the reflection of a pale woman. There was a cut over her right eyebrow and dark circles under the eyes. Her body was that of a young woman, but her eyes were that of an old woman who had suffered enormous grief in her lifetime.

Hermione made her way to her bedroom and lay down. Her pillow was soon soaked through with soundless tears. Her eyes were bloodshot but also determined.

'He may hurt my body, but he'll never hurt my soul.' That was Hermione's last thought before she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

**Well this is my first HP fanfic. I hope you guys like it. I'll only update if someone reviews. If no one reviews, I don't know if anyone is reading it and so there's no reason to continue if I don't know if someone's reading it (did that make any sense?)**

**Anyways just review please. **


	2. Chapter 2

**My So called Perfect Life**

**First of all, thank – you to everyone who reviewed. I really appreciate it. Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Same as last chapter**

Recap

She turned around and found herself looking in a mirror. The sight that greeted her left her speechless. Looking back at her was the reflection of a pale woman. There was a cut over her right eyebrow and dark circles under the eyes. Her body was that of a young woman, but her eyes were that of an old woman who had suffered enormous grief in her lifetime.

Hermione made her way to her bedroom and lay down. Her pillow was soon soaked through with soundless tears. Her eyes were bloodshot but also determined.

'He may hurt my body, but he'll never hurt my soul.' That was Hermione's last thought before she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

**Chapter 2**

Hermione Granger was not having a good day. Her morning started off by wincing in pain as she tried to sit up on her bed. Slowly memories from the previous night invaded her mind, obliterating all the peacefulness of her dreamless sleep.

'God, please help me make it through today. I'll leave for Hogwarts tomorrow and I won't ask you for anything else,' prayed Hermione as she gingerly walked to the bathroom.

Thirty minutes and one shower later, she made her way down the stairs to the kitchen to get some breakfast. She immediately wished that she hadn't. HE was there. He just sat there reading the newspaper, a cup of coffee in one hand with no care in the world.

"Good morning Hermione. Have a good night sleep?" he asked.

It never ceased to amaze her how he could pretend nothing had happened. It was always like this. Whenever he hit her, he somehow managed to delude himself into believing that nothing had ever happened. He was always perfectly cordial the next morning. Hermione had learned early on never to mention the beatings. Any reference usually led to another beating that night. The cycle started again the next day.

"Yes," mumbled Hermione as she went to the refrigerator to get something to eat.

"So, what are going to do today?"

"I'm going to Diagon Alley (did I spell that right?) to get my books," said Hermione and silently added new robes to the list. After all she was the new Head Girl. It wouldn't do to have old robes.

No one knew she was Head Girl. She couldn't tell her mother because she was out of town and she knew her stepfather wouldn't care. She hadn't even told her best friends Harry and Ron yet because she hadn't had time to write to them.

'Oh well, I'll tell them today," thought Hermione as she helped herself to some toast. She quickly ate her breakfast, stood up, and put the dishes away. She then turned to her stepfather.

"I'm going to leave now," she announced.

"Okay. Hurry back."

Hermione walked to her room to get the list of things she would be needing for her new year at Hogwarts. She briefly stopped in front of a mirror on her way out. Staring back at her was the reflection of a petite woman in black jeans and a white sweater. Her chestnut brown hair was slightly wavy and hung down to her waist. It was held back by a jeweled head band. She could have passed off as a model without a care in the world if it hadn't been for her eyes. Her beautiful golden-brown eyes looked like they held all the pain in the world. Only by being careful had she managed to hide the pain from everyone else. No one ever saw the true Hermione Granger. All they saw was a mask behind which she hid her true self.

'Good. They won't be able to see a thing.' She thought as she left her room.

**Diagon Alley**

"Hermione! Hermione! Over here!!" yelled a voice from behind Hermione.

She turned around and saw her best friends, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. They weren't alone. They were surrounded by the rest of the Weasley clan. Hermione waved at them and made her way closer.

"Hey guys! How was your summer?" she asked when she reached them.

"Brilliant! We went to see the Chudley Cannons last week. They were amazing. They caught the snitch in less than 15 minutes. Everyone thought the game would last longer. So to make the time go by they started signing autographs. I've got all of them now. And after that…" Hermione smiled wistfully as she listened to Ron talk about his summer. How she wished she was in his family. Any family other than hers would have been a blessing.

Harry laughingly stopped Ron. "Maybe she should tell us about her summer now Ron," he said gently.

"Oh yeah. So how was your summer 'Moine?" asked Ron with a slight blush on his cheeks.

"It was alright. Nothing that exciting happened. Although I did get a letter saying that I'm the new Head Girl," she stated proudly.

Both the boys cheered and tried to hug her simultaneously. The end result was a sandwich with Hermione in the middle. She tried not to wince in pain as they came in contact with her cuts from the previous night.

"Way to go Hermione. We knew it had to be you. Who else could possibly get it?" asked Harry as he let her go.

Hermione smiled. Was it any wonder they were her best friends? Her smile grew wider as she heard Mrs. Weasley tell them to hurry up so they could buy everything they needed. She hooked each of her arms with Ron and Harry and walked towards the book store.

Today may have started bad, but it had improved. And who knows? Maybe tomorrow would be even better.

**So what do you guys think? Do you like it? Hate it? Either way please review. The deal's the same as last time. I won't update without reviews. So if you want to read more, just click the little button at the bottom and review. It's really not that hard.**

**Thanx again to everyone who reviewed for the first chapter. I'll try to make the next ones longer.**


	3. Chapter 3

**My So Called Perfect Life**

**Thank – you very much to everyone who reviewed. I really appreciate it, seeing as this is my first HP fanfic and I'll take all the help I can get. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.**

**Disclaimer: Same as last chapter**

Recap

"Way to go Hermione. We knew it had to be you. Who else could possibly get it?" asked Harry as he let her go.

Hermione smiled. Was it any wonder they were her best friends? Her smile grew wider as she heard Mrs. Weasley tell them to hurry up so they could buy everything they needed. She hooked each of her arms with Ron and Harry and walked towards the book store.

Today may have started bad, but it had improved. And who knows? Maybe tomorrow would be even better.

**Chapter 3**

'Finally I'm free!' This was Hermione Granger's first thought as she woke up the next morning. This thought was also the reason why she was smiling as she got dressed for the day. Today she had chosen to wear a baby blue sweater with dark navy blue jeans. Her hair was tied up in a French braid with soft strands framing her face giving her an innocent and youthful look. She hummed to herself as she packed her bags to leave. Today was the day that she was returning to Hogwarts. She wouldn't have to see HIM for a whole year. And if she had her way, she wouldn't have to see him forever. After all, she would be eighteen by the time the school year was done. She would finally be liberated from her bondage.

Hermione had another reason to smile. Her mother was coming back today to see her off. Katherine Granger may not have had the best taste in men, but she had been good to Hermione. Unfortunately, she also had the tendency to leave for long periods of time. This was the reason that Katherine didn't know what happened to her only daughter almost every night.

Hermione pushed these dark thoughts away as she heard the door bell ring. 'She's here!'

Hermione tore down the stairs in her haste to see her mother again. She ran as fast as she could to the door and yanked it open. It wasn't her. Hermione's welcoming smile faded as she realized it was him.

"Thanks for opening the door. I just went out to get some groceries and forgot to take the keys," he explained as he walked past her and made his way to the kitchen. Hermione glumly closed the door as she wished that she hadn't opened it. If only she had pretended to be asleep, he would have been locked out.

"Did you eat yet?" he yelled from the kitchen. She hadn't, but she wasn't going to tell him so. If she said yes, he would make her eat something in front of him. Normally Hermione wouldn't have minded so much, but because this was the last time he would be seeing her for a year, she knew that he would look for any reason to beat her to a bloody pulp again. It was better not to risk it.

"Yes I had some waffles earlier," she lied. ""I'm going upstairs to pack."

She had started to walk up the stairs when the door bell rang again. She smiled. This time it had to be her mother. She quickly walked to the door, watching her stepfather emerge from the kitchen from the corner of her eyes. She pulled the door open.

Standing before was a breathtaking woman who looked so much like Hermione that it was eerie. She was wearing a black business suit with a hand bag in one hand and a suitcase in the other. It was almost like looking into the future. This was what Hermione would look like when she was older.

Katherine Granger promptly dropped her hand bag and suitcase as soon as she saw her daughter. "Hermione!" she yelled enthusiastically.

"Mother!" Hermione yelled back with just as much enthusiasm. The two women immediately hugged each other. Hermione attempted not to show any pain as her mother squeezed her back. It was worth the pain just to be close to her mother again.

"Jimmy!" Katherine said warmly as she released her daughter and walked towards her husband.

"It's good to see you again Kathy. I missed you," he said enveloping her in a hug.

"I hope everything was okay while I was gone?"

"Oh yeah. Hermione and I had a great time together. Didn't we Hermione?" Jim asked looking directly at her.

Hermione forced herself to agree. She didn't want to do anything to upset her mother. The doctor had told Katherine to go easy on herself after she had fallen into a state of depression after her first husband's death. Jimmy Galloway was the person who had lifted her out of it. Normally Katherine was a terrific judge of character, but the death of her husband had left her desperately craving something to fill the hole in her heart. Hermione had tried to fill it, but she just wasn't enough. Katherine fell for the charming Jimmy Galloway almost immediately and they were married three months later. At first, Hermione had been ecstatic to have a new father. It was great seeing her mother happy again. She had truly believed that they could all live happily ever after. But that was before the beatings had begun. Before her innocence was stolen from her, forcing her to grow up sooner than she wanted to.

"I hope I'm not too late. You still have some time before you need to get on the train right dear?" asked Katherine as she gathered her things and went to the living room.

"Actually mother I need to leave in a few minutes," said Hermione.

"Okay then, why don't you get your things and we'll leave," suggested Katherine.

"Alright." Hermione went to her bedroom and packed a few last minute things. She came downstairs in a few minutes and saw that her mother and stepfather were ready to go.

"Let's go."

**At the train**

"Good – bye dear. Have a great year. Don't forget to write," said Katherine as she hugged Hermione.

"Bye sweetheart. Have fun," said Jimmy, also hugging her. Hermione tried not to hex him. It took a LOT of self – control.

"Bye!" yelled Hermione as she turned around and ran to the barrier that would take her to the platform 9¾.

She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the other side. She immediately spotted her best friends when she opened her eyes. She half ran half walked towards them.

"Hey 'Moine," greeted Harry.

"Hey you two. Ready to go back?"

"Yep. Can't wait to start Quidditch again!" exclaimed Ron.

Hermione laughed. Ron was physically incapable of talking about anything except Quidditch since he had become a chaser the year before.

"Hello Hermione dear!" said Mrs. Weasley when she spotted Hermione. "Have a good summer?"

"Yes I did Mrs. Weasley. How was yours?"

Mrs. Weasley didn't answer because she had become distracted. She had spotted a dirt mark on Ron's nose and was attempting to take it off using a napkin.

"Honestly Ronald, you've got to be careful. How do you get so dirty constantly? You were fine a few minutes ago and …"

Hermione didn't hear the rest because she was too busy doubling over with laughter when she saw Ron's horrified face.

"Mother! Get away!" he yelled trying to shake his mother off. But Molly Weasley was a woman on a mission. Nothing was going to stop her.

Hermione was still smiling when she boarded the train. Harry had got on right after her and they were joined by a red – faced Ron a few seconds later. Harry and Hermione valiantly tried to hold back laughter when they saw the red mark on Ron's nose. Regrettably, it was a battle they were losing.

Ron quickly turned around and started walking down the hallway to find an empty cabin. Harry started to follow, but stopped when he noticed that Hermione wasn't following.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked.

"You go ahead. I have to go to the Head's cabin to take care of some stuff. I'll join you later," she answered.

Harry nodded and walked away. Hermione turned around and walked in the opposite direction to go to the Head's cabin. For the first time she allowed herself to wonder who the Head Boy was.

'Maybe it's Justin or Charlie (AN: I just made up a name),' she speculated. 'Oh well, I'll find out soon enough,' she thought as she faced the door of the Head's cabin. She took a deep breath, opened the door and froze.

"YOU!"

**Well that's it. That wasn't much of a cliff hanger was it? You can probably guess whot is. **

**Was this chapter too boring? Cause I kind of think it was. Anyways please review and tell me what you think. Remember no reviews no updates. So just press the little button and review please.**


	4. Chapter 4

**My So Called Perfect Life**

**Wow. I can't believe that people are actually reading this story and enjoying it. Anyways (do I say that too much?), here's the next chapter. Hope you like it. And thank – you to everyone who reviewed.

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**

Recap

"Aren't you coming?" he asked.

"You go ahead. I have to go to the Head's cabin to take care of some stuff. I'll join you later," she answered.

Harry nodded and walked away. Hermione turned around and walked in the opposite direction to go to the Head's cabin. For the first time she allowed herself to wonder who the Head Boy was.

'Maybe it's Justin or Charlie (AN: I just made up a name),' she speculated. 'Oh well, I'll find out soon enough,' she thought as she faced the door of the Head's cabin. She took a deep breath, opened the door and froze.

"YOU!"

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"GRANGER!" What are you doing here?" asked Draco Malfoy, the current occupant of the cabin.

"I'm the new Head Girl. What are you doing here?" Hermione inquired (okay – yelled) just as loudly.

"I'm the Head Boy."

They stared at each other in horror, each one trying to figure out their next move. Finally Hermione (who was by now tired of standing) stepped into the cabin. Malfoy retreated further into the cabin.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm sitting down."

"Well, go sit somewhere else. I am not going to share a cabin with a mudblood."

"Yeah well you don't have much choice do you, seeing as I'm the new Head Girl," responded Hermione, trying to ignore the stab of pain that had surfaced in her heart when he called her a mudblood. Even though he had been doing it for seven years now, the sting had not faded.

"Why aren't you sitting with the Dream Team?"

"Why aren't you sitting with Crabbe and Goyle?"

Draco fell silent at that. The truth was that he didn't want to sit with Crabbe and Goyle because he wanted to be by himself. He had wanted some time on his own to think about the coming year. He would be eighteen by the end of the year. The right age to get the death mark. He didn't want it, but he had no choice. He knew that his father wouldn't listen to him. Every Malfoy had to get the Dark Mark. There wasn't any room for discussion.

That's why Draco had wanted some time on his own. He was considering his future. If someone had tried to interrupt him a few minutes ago, he would have beat them to a bloody pulp, but for some reason Hermione's presence didn't bother him all that much, which just confused him.

Draco looked at Hermione from the corner of his eye. She was staring out the window. There was something about her that had always gotten to him. It was almost as if the outer layer wasn't the real Hermione. She was fine until the fourth year. But she was a changed woman when she entered the fifth year. She didn't talk as much. She barely ever raised her hand to answer questions (I know this doesn't follow along with the fifth book, but please just pretend that it does). She still hung out with the Dream Team, but she wasn't with them as often. It was almost as if she didn't want to call attention to herself.

'Wonder what happened to her?' he questioned to himself.

Then he realized what he was doing. He was actually spending time thinking about Hermione Granger, a mudblood. Draco turned his head away from her in disgust.

Meanwhile Hermione was concentrating on how happy she was that she was finally returning to Hogwarts. No more creeping around the house late at night. No more spending the night in terror the he was going to enter the room and beat her senseless. Hermione smiled to herself.

Draco froze when he realized how beautiful she looked when she smiled. He had turned around to ask her what she was still doing in the cabin when he caught her smiling. Her whole face transformed when she smiled. Her face lit up and her eyes turned brighter. Draco wondered what she was thinking about that.

Once again he realized what he was doing and almost kicked himself. He was admiring a mudblood. What was wrong with him?

"Granger, what the hell are you still doing here?" he asked rudely.

Hermione turned away from the window and stared straight into Draco's steel gray eyes. "I have just as much of a right to be here as you do," she answered back calmly, her eyes not wavering once.

"Get real! A mudblood like you isn't fit to clean my boots let alone sit in the same cabin as me. Just because I put up with you in school doesn't mean that I will here. Got it?"

"Malfoy, why don't you do us all a favour and crawl back to where you came from?"

"Malfoy's never crawl. And if anyone's going to crawl, it's gonna be you."

"Is that the best you can do?"

"I can do damn better, but you're just not worth it."

Hermione flinched. "You're not worth it." That one little sentence destroyed all the happiness she was feeling a minute ago.

'What did I expect? I am worthless.' Hermione thought bitterly as she valiantly tried to hold back the tears gathering in her eyes.

Just then someone knocked on the cabin door. Draco stood up to open it. On the other side was the kind old witch who always sold candy on every train ride. Hermione saw her chance to escape. She quickly walked up to the lady, bought a few chocolate frogs, paid for them and ran out, leaving Draco behind, looking after her.

'Was she crying?' he asked himself as he watched the retreating figure of Hermione Granger.

* * *

Hermione ran down the hallway until she reached the washroom (does the Hogwarts Express have washrooms? If it doesn't just pretend that it does. You know what, it should have washrooms. It seems stupid not to. I mean what if you really need to go? Do you just hold it in? What if you try, but you can't hold it in? Okay, I'm rambling. I'll stop). She quickly entered. Thankfully there was no one there. She stared at the mirror and tried to compose herself.

'It doesn't matter what Malfoy thinks of me! He's just a stupid git. His opinions are worthless, absolutely worthless.' Somehow this made Hermione feel better, so she just kept repeating it to herself over and over again until she felt that she was ready to leave. She quickly dashed away the tears that had managed to leak through and walked out of the washroom.

She kept walking down the hallway until she reached the cabin where her friends were sitting. She looked inside and saw that Harry and Ginny sat on one side and Ron sat on the other. They were, predictably, talking about Quidditch. Hermione walked inside and sat down beside Ron.

"Hey 'Moine. Did you find the Heads' cabin?" Ron asked.

"Yep. I just came from there. I bought some chocolate frogs on the way. Have some," Hermione said as she passed around the chocolate. She watched as Harry and Ron pigged out on it.

Ginny turned to Hermione. "So, who's the Head Boy?"

"Malfoy."

Harry and Ron snapped to attention at that.

"What?! He's the new Head Boy?" screamed Ron.

"Yes Ron and there's no need to yell. My hearing is perfectly fine." Responded Hermione as she tried to ignore the pieces of chocolate that had flown out of Ron's mouth when he had yelled.

"Oh Hermione, I'm so sorry," Ginny said.

Hermione smiled at her. "It's okay Ginny. I'll live."

"If he ever gives you any trouble just come to us, okay Herms," Harry said.

"What could you do?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Let's just say that "stray" bludgers have a tendency to "accidentally" hit players during Quidditch matches," Harry replied.

Hermione laughed. She was so glad that she had such wonderful friends. It almost made her feel not so worthless.

They talked about random things and in no time at all, they were there. Everyone got of the train and went towards the carriages that took them to the school. Harry, Ron Hermione, and Ginny all piled into one carriage and were on their way.

They reached the school a few minutes later and walked out. They all ran to the front door and hurried inside. Wonderful smell were coming in from the Great Hall (pretend they can smell the food from the kitchens). They all ambled into the Great Hall and prepared themselves for the sorting ceremony.

One hour later, Hermione was stuffing herself with food. She hadn't had breakfast. The only thing she had eaten the whole day was the chocolate frog. She was starving.

A half hour and two refills later, she was finally stuffed. She glanced at her watch and realized that it was time to go.

Little by little the Great Hall was starting to empty out. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up. Ginny had left earlier to join some of her other friends.

"Well I have different rooms now, so I guess this is good night." Hermione said.

"G'night Hermione," Harry replied. Ron just nodded.

Hermione and the boys split up. She made her way to the Heads' dorm rooms. She said the password, walked in, and once again found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy.

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**That wasn't one of my better chapters was it? Sorry the ending was so hurried. Anyways (I do say that too much) please tell me what you think. Hope you liked it.**


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